Speaker magnet weight

siming.guo · 7th July 2008, 03:56 AM

I'm looking into buying a new pair of speakers. I've come across speakers with various magnet weights, ranging from 10oz to 100oz. What is the effect of different magnet weights? Are heavier or lighter ones better?

BHTX · 7th July 2008, 06:49 AM

Are you talking about a pair of hi-fi loudspeakers, or a pair of individual drivers?

A small magnet for a given Sd can sometimes signify a higher Qts, but other than that, it's pretty meaningless. A driver with a large magnet doesn't always mean it'll be better than another driver with a smaller magnet. It depends on the design.

myhrrhleine · 7th July 2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by siming.guo
I'm looking into buying a new pair of speakers. I've come across speakers with various magnet weights, ranging from 10oz to 100oz. What is the effect of different magnet weights? Are heavier or lighter ones better?

Magnet weight alone doesn't say anything.
It's a good advertising gimmick though.

Robh3606 · 7th July 2008, 05:28 PM

Depends on the material as well, ferrite vs Alnico vs the newer neodymium drivers that can has a very low weight but a very powerful motor.

Rob

Cal Weldon · 7th July 2008, 09:39 PM

As mentioned, this is not really a fair question. The weight of the magnet is not something you should worry about. The manufacturer has chosen it because it works well with the other components of the motor. You have to look at the different specs to determine what is the right driver for your needs. Magnet weight is not one of them. It is listed for the sake of those that think bigger is better.

sreten · 8th July 2008, 10:52 AM

Hi,

Just to be contrary bigger is better nearly always better, and
more expensive, unless you are comparing apples and aadvarks.

A better question would be is it big enough ? what happens
when it is not ? What could / would happen if its too big ?

The answers are not trivial, but magnet size is proportional
to the BL of the driver times the linear excursion capability.

I'm only saying this because budget drivers tend to have
too small magnets, one should be able to tell this .........

/sreten.

Geek · 8th July 2008, 10:58 AM

I'm going to jump in here.....

I had a vintage CTS guitar speaker with a 4oz (yes, FOUR) magnet that outperformed a modern guitar driver with a MUCH bigger magnet, though both were rated 98dB SPL.

Sold the CTS for a good 1/2 months wage.

Modern guitar speaker magnet graces my drill press

Cheers!

sreten · 8th July 2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Geek
I'm going to jump in here.....

I had a vintage CTS guitar speaker with a 4oz (yes, FOUR) magnet that outperformed a modern guitar driver with a MUCH bigger magnet, though both were rated 98dB SPL.

Sold the CTS for a good 1/2 months wage.

Modern guitar speaker magnet graces my drill press

Cheers!

Hi,

I doubt it had the excursion or power handling capability of the other
modern driver, which would not matter with a vintage valve amplifier.

It could have a higher BL than the modern driver but next to no
linear excursion. Anyway who wants linear excursion in a guitar
speaker ? next to no-one .... you want non-linear excursion ...

/sreten.

AndrewT · 8th July 2008, 12:17 PM

it's not the magnet weight that matters.

It is the magnetic field strength across the gap and the width it can maintain that field strength for nearly linear reproduction.

How many Car Audio speakers would dare to publish field strength or gap width in their literature?

nb,
by gap width I mean the distance in the direction of Voice Coil displacement, not the gap length between the poles.

Geek · 8th July 2008, 10:00 PM

Hi Sreten,

Quote:

Originally posted by sreten

Hi,

I doubt it had the excursion or power handling capability of the other
modern driver, which would not matter with a vintage valve amplifier.

It could have a higher BL than the modern driver but next to no
linear excursion. Anyway who wants linear excursion in a guitar
speaker ? next to no-one .... you want non-linear excursion ...

/sreten.

Oh, indeed I'm sure!

I think the CTS was rated ~20 watts and had an almost AlNiCo-like mids and smooth highs. The modern one (no codes on the basket, but was less than 5 years old) was really bassy with crunchy highs and scooped mids. Voicecoil wire when I pulled it apart suggested 100W class.

Yay vintage valve amp speeks!

/end tangent

7th July 2008, 03:56 AM	#1
siming.guo diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2008	Speaker magnet weight I'm looking into buying a new pair of speakers. I've come across speakers with various magnet weights, ranging from 10oz to 100oz. What is the effect of different magnet weights? Are heavier or lighter ones better?

7th July 2008, 09:39 PM	#5
Cal Weldon Speakerholic diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: British Columbia	As mentioned, this is not really a fair question. The weight of the magnet is not something you should worry about. The manufacturer has chosen it because it works well with the other components of the motor. You have to look at the different specs to determine what is the right driver for your needs. Magnet weight is not one of them. It is listed for the sake of those that think bigger is better. __________________ Next stop: Margaritaville Some of Cal's stuff \| Cal Weldon Consulting

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7th July 2008, 06:49 AM	#2
BHTX diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2006	Are you talking about a pair of hi-fi loudspeakers, or a pair of individual drivers? A small magnet for a given Sd can sometimes signify a higher Qts, but other than that, it's pretty meaningless. A driver with a large magnet doesn't always mean it'll be better than another driver with a smaller magnet. It depends on the design.

7th July 2008, 05:28 PM	#4
Robh3606 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Destiny	Depends on the material as well, ferrite vs Alnico vs the newer neodymium drivers that can has a very low weight but a very powerful motor. Rob

8th July 2008, 10:52 AM	#6
sreten diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brighton UK	Hi, Just to be contrary bigger is better nearly always better, and more expensive, unless you are comparing apples and aadvarks. A better question would be is it big enough ? what happens when it is not ? What could / would happen if its too big ? The answers are not trivial, but magnet size is proportional to the BL of the driver times the linear excursion capability. I'm only saying this because budget drivers tend to have too small magnets, one should be able to tell this ......... /sreten.

8th July 2008, 10:58 AM	#7
Geek diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004	I'm going to jump in here..... I had a vintage CTS guitar speaker with a 4oz (yes, FOUR) magnet that outperformed a modern guitar driver with a MUCH bigger magnet, though both were rated 98dB SPL. Sold the CTS for a good 1/2 months wage. Modern guitar speaker magnet graces my drill press Cheers!

8th July 2008, 12:17 PM	#9
AndrewT diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Scottish Borders	it's not the magnet weight that matters. It is the magnetic field strength across the gap and the width it can maintain that field strength for nearly linear reproduction. How many Car Audio speakers would dare to publish field strength or gap width in their literature? nb, by gap width I mean the distance in the direction of Voice Coil displacement, not the gap length between the poles.